Foods from all groups have to be consumed to maintain good health. But some nutrients play very specific roles in males. (By the way, alcohol is not the “nutrient” a man needs when he’s getting ready for a romantic date – it increases the desire but decreases the performance.)
Let’s see what is needed for healthy man’s life, how most medications work and why some foods are much better than any stimulating pills.
Specific nutrients for specific aspects of male physiology
Obviously, the most specific aspect of male physiology is functioning of the reproductive system.
When a man is getting ready for a romantic date, the nervous system releases neurotransmitters (chemicals messengers released by nerve cells to send signals to other cells) which, in turn, lead to the secretion of nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide widens arteries and blood vessels improving blood flow and relaxes smooth muscles of the organ in question. The arteries dilate causing this tissue to fill with blood; simultaneously the other group of muscles compresses the veins of the tissue restricting the egress and circulation of this blood.
Acetylcholine is an organic chemical that functions in the brain and body as a neurotransmitter. Additionally, adequate levels of testosterone (secreted by the testicles) and hormones secreted by the pituitary gland are required.
In this process, nerves, neurotransmitters, muscles, blood vessels, enzymes and hormones have to work together. The result is a complex interaction of psychological, neural, vascular and endocrine factors.
Although there are many different reasons, healthy man’s romantic life boils down to three areas:
- Adequate and balanced hormone production
- Good blood circulation
- Psychological and emotional health
How stimulating pills work
Ultimately, the main cause for romantic dysfunction is not enough nitric oxide is released. Pills attempt to accomplish exactly the same effect but in a chemical and unnatural way. However, in numerous clinical trials, it was shown that there are lots of serious side effects of them chemical stimulants.
Nutrients essential for man’s health
Amino Acid Arginine
Amino acid arginine is converted in the body into nitric oxide. Arginine also increases the levels of sperm motility. It is a common practice in India to make the bride and the groom drink a glass of milk each, boiled with raisins (which are also rich in arginine) and a pinch of saffron on their wedding night.
Because the amino acid lysine uses the same transport system as arginine, arginine availability can potentially be affected by lysine, meaning foods with the best arginine to lysine ratio have to be chosen.
Foods rich in amino acid arginine: White meat has the highest amount of arginine. One turkey breast has 16.207g of arginine, while one cup of chicken has 2.790g. Beef contains 4.131g of arginine per pound of cooked meat
Zinc
Zinc is an essential nutrient that is of vital importance for all of us because it is required for the function of over 300 enzymes, but it is especially important for the men’s health. About 2-4 grams of zinc are distributed throughout the human body: in the brain, muscle, bones, kidney, and liver, with the highest concentrations in the prostate. Semen is particularly rich in zinc, a key factor in prostate gland function and reproductive organ growth
- Zinc helps improve romantic drive working as aphrodisiac.
- Zinc improves testosterone and sperm production.
- Zinc helps improve prostate health
The Daily Value (DV) for zinc is 15mg. Foods providing 20% or more of the DV are considered to be high sources of this mineral. Doses larger than 25 mg may cause anemia and copper deficiency.
Foods rich in zinc: The best source of zinc is oysters, but it’s also plentiful in red meat and poultry. Other good sources are beans, nuts, crab, lobster, whole grains, breakfast cereals, and dairy products
Amino Acid Tryptophan
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that our body cannot produce and must be part of our daily diet. Tryptophan is a biochemical precursor for serotonin, which is a well-known hormone of happiness. It is a main contributor to many biochemical and physiological functions, including romantic. Serotonin produces your happiness, and amino acid tryptophan produces serotonin.
If you are in a good mood, you’ve got serotonin to thank; if not – you’ve got serotonin to blame. Feel happier after lunch? That’s why.
The recommended daily intake for tryptophan is 4mg per kilogram of body weight (1.8mg per pound). So, a person weighing 70kg (about 154 pounds) should consume approximately 280mg of tryptophan per day.
Foods rich in amino acid tryptophan: Pumpkin seeds are champions. Whole milk is also one of the largest sources of tryptophan with 732 milligrams per quart. Canned tuna is another good source of tryptophan, including 472 milligrams per ounce. Then go turkey and chicken, oats, cheese, nuts and seeds.
Magnesium
Magnesium has many duties in our body and calming down our nerves is one of them. Magnesium counterbalances calcium, thus helping to regulate nerve and muscle tone. It can affect muscle relaxation through direct action on cell membranes. Magnesium ions close certain types of calcium channels, which conduct positively charged calcium ions into neurons. By blocking calcium’s entry, magnesium keeps our nerves relaxed. With an excess of magnesium, more channels will be blocked and nerve cells activity will decrease. Yet, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), an estimated 57% of Americans are deficient in this important mineral.
Foods rich in magnesium: Whole grains and dark-green, leafy vegetables are good sources of magnesium. Low-fat milk and yogurt contain magnesium as well.
Carotenoid Lycopene
A number of studies suggested that romantic dysfunction could be cured with lycopene. Lycopene naturally helps blood vessels to relax, which enhances circulation and, in turn, can improve blood flow. The observed safe level for lycopene is 75mg/day, according to one preliminary study (Shao A, Hathcock JN, 2006, “Risk assessment for the carotenoids lutein and lycopene”, “Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology”).
Foods rich in lycopene: Red fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, pink guavas, apricots, watermelons, and pink grapefruits are important sources of lycopene.
Choline
Choline is a water-soluble vitamin-like essential nutrient. Choline is the precursor molecule for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is involved in secretion of nitric oxide.
Foods rich in choline: Many vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and dairy products contain choline. Fish, beef, poultry, eggs, and some beans and nuts are rich sources of choline too.
Cholesterol
Like other steroid hormones, testosterone is derived from cholesterol. It’s time for all of us to drastically change the way we think about cholesterol-containing foods, like eggs, shrimps, butter and cheese. Numerous studies and clinical research suggest that dietary cholesterol bears little impact on a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease. Health authorities of Canada, US and UK, which set their national nutrition guidelines, state that cholesterol is no longer considered a nutrient of concern.
Foods rich in cholesterol: milk, cheese, yogurt, cream, butter, eggs, red meat, and shrimps.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that performs many important functions in the human body. It can be found only in the foods of animal origin.
B12 has a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, the red blood cells formation, DNA synthesis, and fatty and amino acid metabolism. It improves male health and contributes to the healthy sperm production. B12 deficiency can damage the nerves within the penis that can lead to many problems.
In a study, 27% of men with abnormal sperm counts (below 20 million/ml) showed a significant increase in sperm count (more than 100 million/ml) after a daily dose of 1,000 mcg of vitamin B12 [“Sandler B, Faragher B. (1984). Treatment of oligospermia with vitamin B12. Infertility, Volume 7:133–8”].
The adequate intake of vitamin B12 for healthy adults is set at 4 micrograms per day.
Foods rich in Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 is naturally present in foods of animal origin, including fish, meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products.
Good nerve function, healthy hormone levels and an unobstructed blood flow to the pelvic area are essential to a male romantic performance. To keep these systems in working order, make sure you have a diet rich in zinc, amino acid arginine, amino acid tryptophan, magnesium, carotenoid lycopene, choline, cholesterol, vitamin B12.
